River Wey Navigations

Seasonal notes from Robert Craig, St. Catherine’s Lengthsman, River Wey Navigations

It is always enjoyable watching the transition from winter to spring on the river. I keep a look out during the first three months of the New Year for indicators, such as particular flowers, that herald the beginning of the new season. This was harder this year, given that the earlier mild weather kept plants such as meadowsweet on the river bank, primroses along the Railway Line Walk and gorse in the meadows in flower as late as December. Despite these unseasonal appearances, Lady’s Smock (or Cuckoo Flower) has appeared on time, telling me that summer isn’t too far away.

The beginning of spring brings some respite from a key part of my role as a Lengthsman for the National Trust – maintaining a navigable water level by opening or closing weir gates. With it being a wet month, January was spent mainly focusing on my weir keeping duties with some sixty-nine separate adjustments made. I don’t just operate the weirs, but also have to keep the weirs clear of debris. With the tail end of storms passing over the south of England, there has been plenty to clear, the most challenging of which were four large Alder trees. Clearing them was achieved by employing various techniques learnt over time using ropes, a polesaw and a long handled drag rake, whilst opening and closing the weir gates. Having floated the trees round to the front of the cottage, I was fortunate enough to have the help of our floating excavator, which was working at St. Catherine’s lock, to lift them out ready for me to cut them up (see above).

In between my weir keeping duties, the last few months have also been the time to finish any hedge cutting and vegetation clearance prior to the nesting season getting into full swing. With this in mind I have been working at various locations along my length of the navigation, mainly at Stonebridge Wharf. Beside the moorings at Gun’s Mouth, Stonebridge, there was a lot of encroaching vegetation to clear, mainly bramble. For some of the work I have been fortunate to have the help of the Wey Navigation Conservation Volunteers; it really has been the case that many hands make light work.

Around St. Catherine’s there is plenty to see at the moment if you like birdwatching ahead of the nesting season. There are the regulars now such as the Common Buzzards, which can be seen soaring over the meadows daily, and the Barn Owls quartering the meadows at dusk in search of prey. I am also starting to see Chiff Chaffs with their onomatopoeic call, not the indicator of spring they once were as numbers of them now choose to overwinter in this country. On the seasonal ponds in the meadows there are good numbers of Teal, Shovelers, Mandarin, Grey Heron and Little Egret as well as Moorhen, Coot, and Waterail. Atop the grasses there are handsome Stonechats and Reed Buntings to be seen, plus, if you’re lucky, the occasional Red Kite passing high overhead.

As I look ahead to the spring and the main boating season, jobs such as painting the locks and bridges are a priority. This can be tricky with the increased number of boats using the locks and having to work around the weather with the showers we get at this time of year. I recently had the most perfect day for painting that I can recall – sunny, dry and not windy. By the end of the day I had managed to paint the whole of St. Catherine’s lock. I hope to see you out enjoying the river during the finer weather in the coming months.



Wonderful local asparagus…

British Asparagus starts to appear in the shops around May time. Locally, Secretts of Milford are famed for their asparagus, which they pick when it’s perfectly ready to eat. Harvested every day for the farm shop and restaurant trade, they have become famous throughout the region for this lovely vegetable. Delicious steamed with hollandaise sauce or butter, it also makes a great addition to soups and other recipes. Here Secretts and VantagePoint have teamed up with food writer Shirlee Posner from local food blog Eat Surrey to introduce two new recipes.

Early Summer Asparagus Soup with Basil Oil

Ingredients

1 x 15ml spoon olive oil; a handful of green garlic shoots or 2 salad onions, finely chopped; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 1 clove smoked garlic, crushed; 150g-200g fresh asparagus spears, halved lengthways for bigger spears; 150g fresh broad beans, podded weight; 200g courgettes, cut into julienne or spiralised; 1 litre of fresh chicken stock; 2 x 15ml spoons of crème fraiche; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the basil oil: 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, 4 x 15ml spoons extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan and add the green garlic, salad and red onion, sweat with the lid on the pan for 4-5 minutes then add the smoked garlic.
2. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the asparagus, broad beans and courgettes. Simmer for 7-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. While the soup is cooking put the ingredients for the basil oil into a blender and blitz.
4. Stir the crème fraiche into the soup with 2–3 spoons of basil oil.
5. Season the soup and serve with an extra spoon of cream a drizzle of oil and a sprig of fresh herbs.
6. Serve with crusty bread.

Pan-fried Gnocchi with Pistachio Pesto and Asparagus

Ingredients

25g fresh basil leaves; 2 smoked garlic cloves, finely chopped; 75ml olive oil, plus extra for frying; 4 tbsp pistachio kernels, toasted; 1 teaspoon lemon rind and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 50g Pecorino Romano cheese, grated; 1 x 500g pack fresh gnocchi; 200g trimmed fresh asparagus ; 100g fine green beans, halved; 50g fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and drained; 75g feta cheese, crumbled; ½ teaspoon pink peppercorns crushed (optional).

Serves 2

Method

1. First make the pesto by putting the basil, garlic, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the pistachios, lemon rind and juice in a food processor; process to form a rough paste. Stir in the cheese and season.
2. Heat a large frying pan with a little olive oil, add the gnocchi and toss gently over a medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until lightly golden.
3. Meanwhile, steam the asparagus and beans for 2-3 minutes until just tender and drain.
4. Roughly chop the remaining pistachios for the garnish. Add the pesto to the gnocchi and toss together.
5. Gently stir in the beans and asparagus and then wilt in the spinach.
6. Divide between 2 plates and scatter over the feta cheese and the rest of the pistachio nuts and pink peppercorns to serve.

Other ideas:

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan
This is one of my favourites and perfect as a starter. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Put some trimmed asparagus spears into an oven-proof dish and add chopped or minced garlic and some olive oil. Dot with butter, season with salt and pepper and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Add some grated parmesan and serve. Stefan Reynolds

Asparagus Brunch
Asparagus tips and eggy loveliness for brunch! Take 4-5 stems of asparagus per person and wrap each individual stem with the pancetta or streaky bacon. Pop these on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a preheated oven 170 fan until the pancetta is crispy. Whilst these are cooking, poach some large eggs making sure the yolks are lovely and runny. Drain really well. Assemble on warmed plates the asparagus tips with eggs to the side, adding a little butter, sea salt, finely chopped parsley and pepper to the eggs. Deliciously simple. Liz Godfrey

Do you have any asparagus recipes you want to share? Email them to gastro@vantagepublishing.co.uk.



First-time Camping

Have you heard the news? Camping’s grown up. Once the domain of boy scouts, backpackers and festival-goers, camping has shed its hiking jackets and mud-caked wellies, and now mixes with a more mainstream crowd, says Laura Sands.

But although it’s grown up, it’s true to its roots; a cost effective, outdoorsy experience is guaranteed. Camping remains one of the best ways to get away with friends and family for very little cost and maximum enjoyment. A camping trip creates memories that you’ll talk and laugh about for years.

If you’ve never been camping, or you’ve been scarred by festival-camping, then it’s time to think again. Follow these five foolproof steps to camping bliss.

Pick a Date
Before you do anything else, work out how long you’ll be staying under canvas. A one or two night trip is long enough for the inexperienced camper to whet their appetite. Many campsites will insist you stay for two nights during peak season. If you want to just dip your toes in and stay for one night, then face up to paying for two nights of camping but just going for the one night. Or wait and see how you feel. Save the week-long trip for when you’ve worked out what you like, what you need and what you don’t need.

Find the Perfect Site
Or should that be; find the perfect site for you. You need to know what you want. Is a quiet, unspoilt site more important to you than an on-site café? Or are you prepared to trade-off peace and quiet for the benefit of a kids’ entertainment complex? Make a list of your non-negotiables and then take a look at the sites that match your requirements. We used to discount better equipped sites and seek out quiet sites with wild beauty and basic facilities. Now we have two small children in tow, the thought of staying anywhere with basic facilities fills me with horror, so a well-equipped playground and laundry facility are now top of my list. Other things you might want to consider are whether campfires are permitted, whether or not large groups are permitted (if they do, then it might be a noisy site in the evening – this might or might not be exactly what you want), and proximity to local pubs and restaurants.

There are some beautiful sites within easy reach of the local area. Our family loves the Graffham campsite, just south of Petworth. Set in woodland, the pitches feel private yet the site is well equipped enough for comfort. If you want full-on comfort, then consider a site that offers glamping. Pop Up by the River, in Steyning, and The Green Escape near Dorking both offer ready pitched tents or shepherd huts; perfect for the nervous camper. Check out the Cool Camping series of books for honest and informative campsite reviews – from no-frills to glamourous glamping escapes.

Get the Right Kit
It goes without saying that you need a decent tent. A small dome tent is fine for an overnight stop, or for adults or teens. But if you’re camping with small children or have back or joint problems, a stay in a dome tent will be enough to make you want to pack up and go within three hours. Either invest in or borrow a tent you can stand up in. Many have separate sleeping compartments, which are handy should you feel you need a spot of extra privacy.
Remember that you need more than just a tent. Bring along sleeping bags, comfortable pillows and inflatable mattresses. Remember that bigger isn’t always better – the thinner, self-inflating style mattresses can often be more comfortable than the more conventional airbeds we’re used to seeing. They’re quick to set up as well; a bonus when you really want to just get out, toast marshmallows and drink cider.

Regardless of whether you think you’ll be cooking up a storm, or eating at the local pub, you’ll need to bring some basic cooking equipment. This should certainly include some mugs, a kettle and a gas hob of sorts. If a morning without tea or coffee is unbearable at home, then imagine the desperation you’ll feel after a night under canvas with one too many glasses of red wine the evening before. If you plan to eat out for each meal then you don’t need much more in the way of cooking equipment, but for the effort of digging out some pots, pans and picnicware, you can save money and hassle and make some of your own meals on site. Nothing tastes quite as good as a bacon sandwich cooked outdoors or a BBQ after a day in the sun.

You’ll be more comfortable with picnic chairs and a table it’s true, but you can certainly get away with picnic rugs and a coolbox to create a makeshift dining area if you’d rather not fork out for additional equipment straightaway.

There are several very well equipped camping shops locally. The Family Tent Shop is at Sutton Green Garden Centre and has a good range of tents for you to look around, and plenty of camping equipment to stock up on. Halfords is also a great place to pick up affordable picnic chairs and camping stoves. And don’t forget eBay, Gumtree and other second-hand selling boards as a great source for second-hand and barely-used camping equipment. Start looking early enough in advance and you’ll be sure to pick up some bargains.

Family-around-a-campfire.-Attribution-to-Tom-Wood.-1024x929

Check the Weather
For some, weather doesn’t matter when camping. Generally, these are people with caravans and motorhomes. But if you are staying under canvas, or are not as hardy as a mountain goat, then it’s wise to check the weather before you set off on your trip.

As much as we’d all love continuous sunshine, a temperature of 26°C and a light breeze; this isn’t guaranteed in the UK. Don’t be put off by grey clouds and the odd rain shower (what a good excuse to find a pub to shelter in), but do think about rearranging your trip if heavy or continuous rain, or strong winds are forecast. If it looks like it will be chilly at night, then pack bedsocks, fleecy onesies and hot water bottles. And make up a flask of hot tea or coffee in the evening, ready to drink in the morning.

Kick Off the Entertainment
Go to the right campsite, with the right people, and entertainment will look after itself when camping. Family games of cricket and frisbee, toasting marshmallows over a campfire or telling ghost stories – a camping trip gives us the chance to escape from the daily grind and bond with those we love. But don’t think that means that you don’t need to worry about bringing along entertainment. A pack of cards or a simple game such as Uno is a camping essential. And bring along colouring or sticker books for kids who wake up early and need entertaining until a time that it’s acceptable to make noise (most campsites are quite strict about being quiet between 10.30pm and 7.30am).

Tablet computers can be a brilliant solution for entertaining kids in the early hours of the day, or while you are setting up the tent – but remember that a limited battery life will mean it should be used sparingly – and after all, if camping is about being with those you love, and having a time you love, then an iPad has only a very limited role to play in that.

Eating is a huge part of entertainment while camping. If you’re lucky enough to be on a site that allows campfires or firepits then have fun making s’mores (check out the internet if you’re not familiar, they’re an American campfire speciality), and baking potatoes in the embers.

Or get going with a legendary BBQ with some juicy sausages fresh from the local butchers. Even if all you have is a little camping stove, you can whip up a smashing bacon sandwich which tastes better than anything you’ll have ever had indoors.

And finally… Remember that camping is about having fun with those you love, and getting away from the daily grind. Get researching, pull together a bunch of your nearest and dearest, beg, buy or borrow some camping equipment and make the most of our beautiful countryside. See you there – we’re the ones with the estate car, two kids and a large bottle of red wine. Oh and a massive bag of marshmallows ready for toasting; we’ll save you a few…

Laura Sands lives in Godalming with her family and works as a freelance copywriter and blogger. When not toasting marshmallows in the great outdoors, she writes effective marketing materials, websites and blogs for small businesses. Find out more at www.laurasands.co.uk.



Weekend Walk: Chiddingfold and Ramsnest Common (7 miles)

Here is a peaceful rural ramble through the meadows and woodlands of southwest Surrey. It starts in Chiddingfold, one of Surrey’s most picturesque villages which offers good chances for a rest and refreshment. Near the end, it takes you through some spectacular wooded terrain. There are no ploughed fields along the way and only a few sheep for companionship. In late spring, many of the paths are fringed with bluebells. Dog friendly but lead needed! Midway through the walk you go close to Ramster Gardens. This walk is taken from www.fancyfreewalks.org with kind permission.

1. Go along the side of the Green towards the church and the Crown Inn. Just before the inn, go left through a passage, re-joining the road by a butcher’s shop and continuing past the Swan Inn, crossing a bridge over the Anstead Brook and ignoring a side road. At a fingerpost after the last house, turn left on a footpath. This narrow path runs between fences, by a field, over a stile and along the right-hand side of a meadow. At a post with a yellow marker go right up some steps and left beside a wire fence. This leads you over a stile, uphill through a bluebell wood and over a stile into a sheep meadow. Turn left along the edge of the meadow.

2. Go over a stile in the corner onto a woodland path in the Highbeech Plantation. Go carefully down the slope ahead, aided by steps, and past a pond on your right. The path takes you over a stream, up and along a grassy path by a fence and a large pasture. The path elbows left by a gate and finally bends right to go over a stile. Turn left on the grass beside the driveway coming from Old Pickhurst and, at a T-junction, turn right on a road, immediately avoiding a road junction on your left.

3. After 150m, go left over a stile into a small green meadow and, in less than 100m, go right over a small bridge and stile into a sheep pasture. Cross the pasture aiming for the right-hand edge of a line of trees on the other side. Once there, go over a stile beside a metal gate and continue uphill next to a fence on your right. In the far corner, which can be a little swampy, go over a stile and cross the centre of the next rough meadow, aiming for a large house visible ahead, adjoining some long buildings (actually racing stables). Go over a stile to a road and turn left on it, passing Fisher Lane Farmhouse.

4. After only 40m, go right on a rather narrow overgrown path which comes out by the racing stables, zigzagging right-left as it does so. Cross over a horse exercise path and continue up a wide cinder track. The track curves right and bends left again. You have an expanse of grass incorporating a large circular horse exerciser to your right and a line of trees ahead. Leave the track as it curves away and aim straight for the line of trees to go through a small gap in the hedgerow to a 3-way fingerpost. Turn right beside the hedge and, in 100m, on meeting a track, turn right and immediately left along the left-hand edge of the grassy expanse. In 15m, ignore the first yellow arrow on your left and continue to the far corner.

5. In the corner, go over a wooden bridge and take a path straight ahead, gently uphill through a bluebell wood, Surrey Copse, in the direction of the yellow arrow, soon crossing under wires. At the top, veer left at a yellow arrow immediately reaching a fingerpost. Ignoring a stile straight ahead, turn sharp right in the direction of the middle finger on a narrow path into the woods. The floor here is thick with bluebells in late spring. The path finally leads out into a small meadow. Veer left to a (broken) metal gate and turn right on a tarmac lane. In 70m, go left through a modern kissing-gate into a sloping meadow.

6. Go straight across the meadow, heading for a large wood on the other side. A large metal gate reveals itself as you cross. Go through the gate into the woods of Griggs Bottom and immediately turn left at a fingerpost. In 60m, at another fingerpost, your path veers right up deeper into the wood. In about 150m, the path emerges into a large sloping green field. Keep ahead along the right-hand side of the field. At the corner, go through a small wooden gate and turn left on a wide farm track. In 30m, follow a hairpin round to the right. In 200m, at a fingerpost, veer left towards the farm buildings. You pass a reedy pond and, on your right, Redlands Farmhouse, then Honeypot Cottage and the buildings of Gostrode Farm. Stay on the tarmac, ignoring a footpath on your right and a bridleway on your left at a bend. Finally you pass some houses, go over a grid (or through a small wooden gate), pass a footpath on your left, and progress onwards till you reach the main A283 Petworth Road by a Shell filling station (which serves snacks and drinks) in the hamlet of Ramsnest Common. You will be continuing by crossing the road and turning right.

7. Having crossed the road and turned right, go 150m along the footway and turn left on a side road, Killinghurst Lane. However, by continuing another 100m or so along the main road, you could make an excursion to Ramster Garden (see special offer), famous for its glorious spring colours. Follow quiet Killinghurst Lane, catching a glimpse of Ramster Garden on your right as you go. The lane dips to go over a stream, passing farm buildings and winds its way uphill. The lane zigzags through a broken wall and descends. You pass a meadow on your left with a beautiful cedar, belonging to historic Killinghurst House. Finally, the lane takes a left bend.

8. Leave the lane here by turning right at a fingerpost on a narrow path. The path runs along the right-hand side of a field and, in 40m, forks right into woods. You are in a long strip of woodland known as Hollis’s Hanger. It runs beside a stream gully down on your left. This primeval and exciting landscape will be yours to enjoy for 1km – and probably alone because few people come here. In late spring, this is a notable place for bluebells too. Eventually the path descends to the level of the stream and crosses it by an excellent bridge. After the bridge, keep left, following a thin stream on your left. You may need to hop around the mud in this section. Your path crosses the stream using a 3-plank bridge. At the top, you come to a T-junction with a much wider path. Turn right on this path.

9. The path runs past some corrugated farm sheds and onwards through woodland (testing your mud-hopping skills again). It eventually joins a tarmac driveway coming in on the left from Hollyhurst. This lane soon passes houses on both sides in the hamlet of Upper Sydenhurst. Keep straight on along this very quiet cul-de-sac lane passing several footpaths on the left. In 1km, the lane reaches the main road in Chiddingfold. Turn left and cross the road to the Crown Inn and the Green where the walk began.

DISTANCE: 7 miles (11km)

OS MAPS: Explorer 133 (Haslemere)

STARTING POINT: The walk begins at Chiddingfold, Surrey, postcode GU8 4TX. Park alongside the Green.

REFRESHMENTS:
The Crown, Chiddingfold T: 01428 682255
www.thecrownchiddingfold.com

The Swan,Chiddingfold T: 01428 684688
www.theswaninnchiddingfold.com

The Tearoom at Ramster T: 01428 654167
www.ramsterevents.com

 



Haslemere Museum – an aladdin’s cave!

Children visiting the galleries at Haslemere Museum for the first time should be forgiven for thinking they’ve stumbled upon Aladdin’s Cave! Even for adults the incredible variety and extent of exhibits is amazing. But it also begs some questions: how does a local museum in a small town come to have no less than three large galleries displaying objects mostly unrelated to the town or its history? How on earth did it acquire such diverse artefacts as a 2,500 year-old Egyptian Mummy, a meteorite fragment and a 3-metre stuffed crocodile? What are a giant ammonite, Zulu beadwork and Ancient Greek oil jugs doing in a museum in Haslemere?

The answer lies in the Museum’s unusual history. Curator, Julia Tanner explains: “Our Museum was founded in 1888 by eminent London surgeon, Sir Jonathan Hutchinson FRS, who lived in Haslemere. Hutchinson’s passion was education and he believed that seeing and handling unfamiliar objects was of great educational value to the general public. By purchasing at auction and on overseas travel, he built up an extraordinary collection of artefacts which he exhibited, firstly at his Haslemere home. His personally guided tours on Sunday afternoons became so popular that by 1895 he had to move his museum into the town”.

When he died in 1913, Hutchinson left his museum to the town. Many of the objects on display today are items he collected but, such is the success of this Museum, many further gifts have added to the collections, most notably the fine European Peasant Art Collection, given in 1926. The Museum now has one of the largest natural history collections in Southern England, with over 240,000 specimens and a human history collection with over 140,000 objects from around the world.

Julia adds: “Despite the staggering diversity of artefacts, our collections fall surprisingly neatly into three broad categories, Geology, Natural History and Human History, and we have a dedicated gallery for each”.

At the entrance to the Geology Gallery a fine array of minerals including agate, amethyst and jasper glitter. This gallery uses a time-line to explain evolution, the key geological periods and fossilisation, all illustrated by objects from the collection of over 20,000 fossils and 5,000 mineral samples. So the side-room displaying some field note-books and watercolours of renowned geologist, Sir Archibald Geikie, initially appears oddly out-of-place.

Julia explains: “Geikie was a patient of Hutchinson’s who retired to Haslemere in 1901. After Hutchinson’s death he set up our Board of Trustees, became its first chairman and left his private collection to us”.

The next gallery, the Natural History Gallery is a complete contrast. Why? Julia continues: “This gallery’s Edwardian decor deliberately captures the essence of that era because a large proportion of the exhibits are taxidermy specimens which were fashionable at that time. We display magnificent birds, fearsome mammals, a 3-metre crocodile and a rather scary Giant Japanese Spider Crab as well as many less threatening objects from our sea-shell and plant collections.

“Great favourites with children are the butterfly collection, displayed in the drawers of some tall cabinets, and the Siberian Brown Bear. He is known as ‘Arthur’, is the Museum mascot and was given to the Museum by the Sisson family in the 1930s.”

The Human History Collection is perhaps the Museum’s most wide-ranging. The Gallery displays start with prehistoric times, showing some superb Stone Age tools and glazed ceramics from Ancient Greece. But this is just the beginning. A remarkable Ancient Egyptian collection is displayed in its own room to protect it from light damage.

“This Collection is probably our best known. The toe peeping out from our famous 2,500 year-old mummy really transfixes visitors, especially children, but we also have two highly decorated mummy coffin lids, some surprisingly attractive ancient jewellery and a mummified cat”, says Julia.

This Human History Collection, however, is not entirely drawn from ancient times. Julia adds: “Our African and Asian artefacts are mostly from the 1800s and 1900s. Some of these, such as the stunning Zulu beadwork, are thought to have been acquired by Hutchinson when he travelled to South Africa.

And our European Peasant Art Collection, a collection of beautifully painted household objects and intricately embroidered textiles, came mostly from North-Eastern Europe and dates from the 1600s. Many of these artefacts were collected in the 1880s by a master at Charterhouse, Reverend Gerald Davis. Their designs became the inspiration for Haslemere’s own Arts & Crafts movement in the early 1900s.”

Thoughtfully, Julia concludes: “In many ways Haslemere Museum really is an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’, but perhaps more importantly, it has enormous appeal, particularly to children, and is as Sir Jonathan Hutchinson intended, more a Museum for Haslemere than one of Haslemere.”

Haslemere Educational Museum is an independent museum. We receive no public funding and rely on the generosity of local people to survive.

Haslemere Educational Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere
GU27 2LA. T: 01428 642112. www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk.

For more details or to buy tickets, go to www.haslemerehall.co.uk or call 01428 642161.